Opposition youth leader calls for action to oust APRC

 As Gambians urge unity among opposition parties

Staff Reporter James Jammeh, Banjul

The youth leader of the Gambia's major opposition political party, the United Democratic Party (UDP), Syngle Nyassi, has called on all Gambians who cherish peace and who are yearning for change to come forward and join the UDP in an effort to rescue the country from its present 'dictatorship'.

Mr Nyassi who was speaking to this reporter as part of an interview said it is incumbent on all Gambians who are interested in the liberation of Gambians from a protracted dictatorship and disregard for the rule of law and other human right abuses to join what is the biggest opposition party in the country.

Nyassi who spoke at length on what is expected of all parties in the country to ensure a viable change in Gambia's political arena, recognised that the most important thing for the UDP to do to strengthen its capacity towards the 2010 elections is to fully monitor the coming general registration exercise.

''If the party want to overcome the APRC, efforts should be made in order to come out victorious as Gambians today are more ready and determined for change,'' he said.

''But,'' he added, ''it must first start with the UDP.''

The UDP youth leader noted with caution that it is important for parents to make sure that their children do not only get registered, but that also when it is time for voting, they do so well.

''The APRC regime is on the verge of eroding and it would be so perfect if the UDP could be voted in,'' he stated.

"I am also appealing to the youths to come out in their large numbers and take part in the exercise because all what we are doing is for them to have a good and great future as tomorrow's leaders who would take the mantle of leadership in their respective communities."

Nyassi also pointed at the role of the country's electoral body in ensuring an acceptable democracy come next elections. The IEC, he said, must be fair and stick to their slogan, which is 'fair play', in order for the exercise to be treated as in accordance with the law. He warned foreigners to stay away from Gambian politics, saying that the political arena belongs to only Gambians, and not any other nationals.

This is an apparent reference to past complaints by the country's opposition that the APRC government imports non-Gambians in time of voting to have their ballot filled up. Nyassi cited  examples of some of places like the town of Bansang, where he said the police reportedly confiscated Gambian national ID cards from Guineans and other people of various nationalities. These, he said, have been involved in active politics, serving as APRC militants. He said this should not be entertained by any true Gambian, irrespective of party polical affiliation, assuring that his party, the UDP, would never tolerate such.

The UDP youth leader used the opportunity to wish every Gambian ''a happy Asura (Muslim New year) celebration, and a prosperous 2010 new year full of peace, tolerance, progress and harmony.''

               Call for unity among opposition

As the UDP youth leader's call for a concerted effort towards unseating Yahya Jammeh and his cohort, concerned Gambians have been hearing their views about the mode of unseating the regime. Some who spoke to this reporter expressed their total opposition to the current dispensation. But he sounded clear that no genuine change might be possible in absence of 'unit' among the country's opposition groupings.

Our correspondent said that the people believe that the only way out of this mess is for the opposition leaders to unite, if only for the interest of Gambians, in order to unseat the Jammeh administration and effect a decent change, which they said will usher in ''pure democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.''

They stressed that if the leaders come together there would be no chance for the APRC government under Jammeh's dictatorship to win the coming elections, citing the fact that the government has failed Gambians woefully, as expressed by the woeful human rights record of the country within the past months.

ENDS:12/28/09